This invention relates to the art of ratchet mechanisms, which have particular application to ratchet wrenches. While prior art ratchet wrenches appear suitable for their intended purpose, they exhibit various shortcomings. It has been observed that in order to change the direction of ratcheting action in most commercially available ratchet wrenches, two hands are required. One wrench design requires the user to hold the driven member stationary with one hand, while the selector knob is rotated with the other hand. If the driven member is not held stationary, the selector knob will rotate the driven member without changing the direction of ratcheting action. Also, when presently available wrenches are used in close working quarters or around moving machinery parts, it becomes either impossible or dangerous to grasp the selector knob to change the direction of ratcheting action. The herein disclosed invention obviates the above cited problems by utilizing a remote ratcheting direction control switch located just in front of the hand grip.